Supreme Court Declines Urgent Plea to Block 'Udaipur Files'

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to urgently hear a plea seeking to halt the release of the movie Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder, set for July 11, stating, “Let the film be released.” The bench, comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi, directed the petitioner to approach the regular bench after the court’s summer vacation.

The plea, filed by Mohammed Javed, the eighth accused in the 2022 murder case of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, argued that the film’s release could prejudice the ongoing trial in Jaipur’s special NIA court. Javed’s counsel claimed the trailer and promotional materials appear “communally provocative” and risk portraying the accused as guilty, violating their right to a fair trial. Social media posts on X echo concerns, with users calling the film a “propaganda attempt” to influence public opinion.

The bench, however, dismissed the urgency, noting the trial’s pendency should not automatically bar the film’s release. Kanhaiya Lal was brutally murdered in June 2022, allegedly by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous, who cited the tailor’s support for former BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad as motive. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probed the case, charging the accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Indian Penal Code.

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The film’s producers have defended it as a “factual depiction” of the incident, while critics argue it could inflame communal tensions. The court’s decision allows the release to proceed, leaving the petitioner to seek further recourse post-vacation.

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